Support the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act

October 30, 2017

Have you heard of the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act? Neither had we and shame on all-of-us, given that the United States has less than 5% of the world’s population but 30% of the world’s incarcerated women. The Dignity Act was introduced on July 11th by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Richard Durbin (D-IL). The goal of the act is “to improve the treatment of Federal prisoners who are primary caretaker parents.”

The Dignity Act includes provisions such as more visitation rights for incarcerated mothers and preventing shackling pregnant women (which we do, even during birth). Prisons will also be required to provide women with feminine products and basic gynecological care (which we don’t currently provide).

The Dignity Act is effectively being ignored, with no hearings or votes scheduled. Alicia Keys is attempting to change that through the We Are Here Movement. All-of-us must raise our voices in support of incarcerated women too.